Common Kings

Born in the South Pacific and raised in Orange County, California the members of Common Kings which consists of 'Jr.

[1] Originally from Hawaii with Samoan roots, Sasualei Maliga, who has a three-octave range voice, met drummer Jerome Taito (from Tonga), bassist Ivan Kirimaua (from Fiji/Kirimaua) and guitarist Taumata Grey (from Samoa) when they were growing up in the Orange County towns of Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, and Irvine, all through a close-knit O.C.

They formed the band while studying at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, and began recording songs in 2011.

The band name pays tribute to their proud heritage and the love for their home lands of Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, and Tonga where their ancestry comes from royalty.

They have toured with Bruno Mars, CeeLo, Fifth Harmony, and Meghan Trainor, who was so impressed by the band that she helped write some songs off the Summer Anthems EP like "24/7", "Sickness" and "Your Turn".

[2] The band signed to Island Empire Records, who issued the EP Hits & Mrs. on October 9, 2015 peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart.

The band's fourth EP, One Day, which was released on August 10, 2018 on Mensch House Records reached #2 on the Billboard charts for Top Reggae Albums.

JR adds, "It's a culmination of our careers, jamming 20 years, raising families, living life and making music; all of it coming together and being able to share that with the world.

[9] Through individually different musical influences, the members came together with their own unique styles from artists and bands such as, Bob Marley, Earth Wind and Fire, Gypsy Kings, George Benson, Jim Croce, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, and The Who to name a few.

[10] Common Kings teamed up with SRH Productions to collaborate on a short sleeve button down shirt and package called the "Aloha-Bro".

Common Kings performing at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA on July 28, 2022.